Photos: Best of Ryder Cup

Updated 9:03 PM ET, Sun September 30, 2012

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Best of Ryder Cup – Peter Hanson, center, and Francesco Molinari of Europe celebrate their team winning the 39th Ryder Cup on Sunday, September 30, in Medinah, Illinois. Europe produced the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history to defeat the United States and retain the trophy. See more of the best of CNN's photography.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Nicolas Colsaerts, left, celebrates with fans after Europe beat the United States on Sunday. The biennial competition pits the best pro golfers from the United States against their European counterparts.

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Best of Ryder Cup – European team captain Jose Maria Olazabal holds the Ryder Cup at the closing ceremonies on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Martin Kaymer is mobbed by the European team after he made the winning putt on the 18th green on Sunday to cinch the Ryder Cup.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Martin Kaymer of Europe celebrates making the decisive putt.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Martin Kaymer sets up the final putt on the 18th green.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Rory McIlroy of Europe celebrates after Martin Kaymer sinks his putt on the 18th green Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Martin Kaymer putts on the final hole Sunday to secure Europe's win.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A U.S. fan high-fives Team Europe's fans after their Ryder Cup victory on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Rory McIlroy of Europe greets Tiger Woods on the 18th green after Europe defeated the United States 14.5 to 13.5 to retain the Ryder Cup.

Best of Ryder Cup – A European supporter watches the play during the singles matches on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Justin Rose of Europe celebrates a birdie putt on the 18th green to defeat Phil Mickelson on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Jason Dufner of the United States, left, shakes hands with Peter Hanson on the 18th green after Dufner defeated Hanson.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Davis Love III waits with some of his team on Sunday at the end of the singles matches.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Ian Poulter of Europe hits a shot from the rough on the 18th hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Europe's Francesco Molinari celebrates with his caddie, Jason Hempleman, on the 18th green Sunday after his match with Tiger Woods.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Tiger Woods waits on a hole during Sunday's singles matches.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Fans reach for a golf ball Sunday on the 17th green.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Steve Stricker of the United States reacts to a missed putt on the 17th green as Martin Kaymer of Europe looks on during Sunday's competition.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Jim Furyk of the United States lines up a putt with his caddie, Mike Cowan, on the 17th green.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Lee Westwood of Europe, left, shakes hands with Matt Kuchar on the 16th green after defeating him Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Steve Stricker of the United States lines up a putt on the 16th green during a match Sunday against Martin Kaymer of Germany.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Keegan Bradley of the United States plays a bunker shot on the 14th hole on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Luke Donald of Europe hits from the drop zone Sunday on the 13th hole.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A message of support for Team Europe is written in the sky during the Sunday's single matches. The United States started the day with a seemingly insurmountable 10-6 lead.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Graeme McDowell of Europe crosses a bridge during the singles matches on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A U.S. fan watches the matches on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Webb Simpson of the United States hits his tee shot on the 13th hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Luke Donald of Europe celebrates after saving bogey Sunday on the 13th green.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Martin Kaymer of Europe plays a bunker shot on the ninth hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Zach Johnson of the United States reacts to a shot on the ninth hole Sunday as Graeme McDowell, right, and his caddie, Ken Comboy, of Europe look on.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A U.S. team caddie wears patriotic shoes on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Ian Poulter of Europe plays a bunker shot Sunday on the fourth hole.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Luke Donald of Europe watches his tee shot on the third hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Fans watch the play on the first tee during the singles matches of the Ryder Cup on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Bubba Watson of the United States, left, greets Luke Donald of Europe on the first tee Sunday in Medinah.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Bubba Watson of the United States watches his tee shot on the first hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A sea of fans crowds around the first tee near the clubhouse Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Luke Donald of Europe plays a bunker shot on the fifth hole on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Tiger Woods of the United States watches from the fairway on the first hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Tim Finchem, from left, Jack Nicklaus and Jeff Sluman watch the action on the first tee Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Keegan Bradley of the United States hits his tee shot on the first hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Rory McIlroy of Europe lines up a shot with his caddie J.P. Fitzgerald on the third tee on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Team USA Assistant Captain Fred Couples stirs up the crowd during play Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Team Europe's Luke Donald tees off from the first hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Ian Poulter of Europe celebrates after making a birdie on the first hole Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – European fans cheer at the start of the final day of play at the 39th Ryder Cup on Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Keegan Bradley rallies U.S. fans on the first tee at the start of the day Sunday.

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05 ryder cup 0930 – Team USA fans cheer from the stands Sunday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Former U.S. President George W. Bush shakes hands with Fred Couples, assistant captain of Team USA on Saturday, September 29.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Bush reaches to shake the hands of spectators at the tournament Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Tiger Woods of the United States scopes out a putt on the 17th hole during four-ball play Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Team Europe's Rory McIlroy laments a missed putt on the seventh hole during foursomes on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Dustin Johnson of Team USA contemplates his next play on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Webb Simpson of the United States waits in the fifth fairway with his caddie Paul Tesori on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Team USA's Phil Mickelson, left, and Team Europe's Lee Westwood of England study the fifth green during a morning foursomes match on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Ian Poulter of Europe lines up a putt on the 16th green on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Tiger Woods of the U.S. hits his tee shot on the first hole Saturday afternoon.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Zach Johnson of American team reacts to a putt on the 12th hole on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Webb Simpson of the United States plays a bunker shot on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A crowd gathers at the 17th green on day two of the competition.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Sergio Garcia of Europe hits the second shot on the third hole on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – European fans watch the play from a golf cart during day two.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Keegan Bradley of the United States stares down a putt on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A fan of the U.S. golfers watches the action.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Team Europe's Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits out of the eighth hole's tee box on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Phil Mickelson of the United States drives with his wife Amy Mickelson on the 16th green.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Ian Poulter of Europe celebrates after holing a putt on the 12th hole Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Poulter and Justin Rose of Team Europe embrace after winning their match on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Two U.S. fans watch the competition on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Webb Simpson of the USA waits in the fifth fairway with his caddie Paul Tesori.

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Best of Ryder Cup – USA fans cheer on the first tee on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Golfer Justin Rose of Europe lines up a putt on the first green.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A fan looks at a map on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – American Phil Mickelson watches his tee shot on the fourth hole as Lee Westwood of Europe looks on.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Graeme McDowell of Europe hits his tee shot on the first hole on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Bubba Watson of the USA watches his tee shot on the second hole.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Keegan Bradley of the USA reacts after putting on the fifth green on Saturday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – A message is written in the sky in remembrance of Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros, who died of brain cancer last year, during day two of the competition.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Keegan Bradley of the USA hits out of the bunker on the 16th green after defeating Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell on Friday, September 28.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Keegan Bradley of the USA urges a putt to drop on the 15th green during the afternoon four-ball matches.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, right, jumps in the air while speaking with teammate Sergio Garcia of Spain, ssecond left, on the 10th fairway on Friday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Americans Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson were paired in the afternoon four-ball matches on Friday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley celebrate on the 17th green with Amy Mickelson and Jillian Stacey after defeating Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell 2 and 1 during the afternoon four-ball matches on Friday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – McIlroy and McDowell, both of Northern Ireland, wait on the first tee on Friday afternoon.

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Best of Ryder Cup – McIlroy and McDowell walk across a bridge ahead of the gallery on Friday.

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Best of Ryder Cup – McIlroy reacts with dismay to his shot from the 10th fairway on Friday.